Chapter XXIV: Book II: B (2)

How is it, then, that the tendency of a vacuum to become refilled is unable to afford nourishment to one in such a condition? Because its rule is that only so much of the contiguous matter should succeed as has flowed away. Now this is sufficient for nourishment in the case of those who are in good condition, for, in them, what is _presented_[228] must be equal to what has flowed away. But in the case of those who are very emaciated and who need a great restoration of nutrition, unless what was presented were many times greater than what has been emptied out, they would never be able to regain their original habit. It is clear, therefore, that these parts will have to exert a greater amount of _attraction_, in so far as their requirements are greater. And I fail to understand how Erasistratus does not perceive that here again he is putting the cart before the horse. Because, in the case of the sick, there must be a large amount of _presentation_[228] in order to feed them up, he argues that the factor of "refilling"[227] must play an equally large part. And how could much _presentation_ take place if it were not preceded by an abundant _delivery_[229] of nutriment? And if he calls the conveyance of food through the veins delivery, and its assumption by each of these simple and visible nerves and arteries not delivery but _distribution_,[230] as some people have thought fit to name it, and then ascribes conveyance through the veins to the principle of vacuum-refilling alone, let him explain to us the assumption of food by the hypothetical elements.[231] For it has been shown that at least in relation to these there is no question of the refilling of a vacuum being in operation, and especially where the parts are very attenuated. It is worth while listening to what Erasistratus says about these cases in the second book of his "General Principles": "In the ultimate simple [vessels], which are thin and narrow, presentation takes place from the adjacent vessels, the nutriment being attracted through the sides of the vessels and deposited in the empty spaces left by the matter which has been carried away." Now, in this statement firstly I admit and accept the words "through the sides." For, if the simple nerve were actually to take in the food through its mouth, it could not distribute it through its whole substance; for the mouth is dedicated to the psychic pneuma.[232] It can, however, take it in through its sides from the adjacent simple vein. Secondly, I also accept in Erasistratus's statement the expression which precedes "through the sides." What does this say? "The nutriment being attracted through the sides of the vessels." Now I, too, agree that it is attracted, but it has been previously shown that this is not through the tendency of evacuated matter to be replaced.

VI

Ei d' episkopoito tis epimelôs, oud' ho peri threpseôs
autou logos, hon en tô deuterô tôn katholou logôn
diexerchetai, tas autas aporias ekpheugei. tê gar pros
to kenoumenon akolouthia synchôrêthentos henos lêmmatos,
hôs prosthen edeiknymen, eperaine ti peri phlebôn monôn
kai tou kat' autas haimatos. ekreontos gar tinos kata ta
stomat' autôn kai diaphoroumenou kai mêt' athroôs topou
kenou dynamenou genesthai mête tôn phlebôn sympesein,
touto gar ên to paraleipomenon, anankaion ên hepesthai
to syneches anaplêroun tou kenou||menou tên basin. hai 96
men dê phlebes hêmin houtô threpsontai tou periechomenou
kat' autas haimatos apolauousai; ta de neura pôs? ou gar
dê kan toutois estin haima. procheiron men gar ên
eipein, helkonta para tôn phlebôn; all' ou bouletai. ti
pot' oun kantautha epitechnatai? phlebas echein en
heautô kai artêrias to neuron hôsper tina seiran ek
triôn himantôn diapherontôn tê physei peplegmenên. ôêthê
gar ek tautês tês hypotheseôs ekpheuxesthai tô logô tên
holkên; ou gar an eti deêsesthai to neuron en heautô
periechon haimatos angeion epirrhytou tinos exôthen ek
tês parakeimenês phlebos tês alêthinês haimatos heterou,
all' hikanon autô pros tên threpsin esesthai to
katepseusmenon angeion ekeino to logô theôrêton.

Alla kantautha palin auton homoia tis aporia diedexato.
touti gar to smikron angeion heauto men threpsei, to
parakeimenon mentoi neuron ekeino to haploun ê tên
artêrian ouch hoion t' estai trephein aneu tou symphyton
tin' hyparchein autois holkên tês trophês. || tê men gar 97
pros to kenoumenon akolouthia pôs an eti dynaito tên
trophên epispasthai to haploun neuron, hôsper hai
phlebes hai synthetoi? koilotês men gar tis estin en
autô kat' auton, all' ouch haimatos hautê g' alla
pneumatos psychikou mestê. deometha d' hêmeis ouk eis
tên koilotêta tautên eisagein tô logô tên trophên all'
eis to periechon autên angeion, eit' oun trephesthai
monon eite kai auxesthai deoito. pôs oun eisaxomen?
houtô gar esti smikron ekeino to haploun angeion kai
mentoi kai tôn allôn hekateron, hôst', ei tê leptotatê
belonê nyxeias ti meros, hama diairêseis ta tria. topos
oun aisthêtos athroôs kenos ouk an pot' en autô genoito;
logô de theôrêtos topos kenoumenos ouk ên anankastikos
tês tou synechous akolouthias.

Êboulomên d' au palin moi kantautha ton Erasistraton
auton apokrinasthai peri tou stoicheiôdous ekeinou
neurou tou smikrou, poteron hen ti kai syneches akribôs
estin ê ek pollôn kai smikrôn sômatôn, hôn Epikouros kai
Leukippos kai Dêmokritos hypethento, syn||keitai. kai 98
gar kai peri toutou tous Erasistrateious horô
diapheromenous. hoi men gar hen ti kai syneches auto
nomizousin ê ouk an haploun eirêsthai pros autou phasi;
tines de kai touto dialyein eis hetera stoicheiôdê
tolmôsin. all' ei men hen ti kai syneches esti, to
kenoumenon ex autou kata tên adêlon hypo tôn iatrôn
onomazomenên diapnoên oudemian en heautô kataleipsei
chôran kenên. houtô gar ouch hen alla polla genêsetai,
dieirgomena dêpou tais kenais chôrais. ei d' ek pollôn
synkeitai, tê kêpaia kata tên paroimian pros Asklêpiadên
apechôrêsamen anarma tina stoicheia tithemenoi. palin
oun atechnos hêmin hê physis legesthô; tois gar
toioutois stoicheiois ex anankês touth' hepetai.

Dio dê moi kai dokousin amathôs pany tên eis ta toiauta
stoicheia tôn haplôn angeiôn eisagein dialysin enioi tôn
Erasistrateiôn. emoi goun ouden diapherei. kath'
hekaterous gar atopos ho tês threpseôs estai logos,
ekeinois tois haplois angeiois tois smikrois tois
syntitheisi ta megala || te kai aisthêta neura kata men 99
tous synechê phylattontas auta mê dynamenês genesthai
tês pros to kenoumenon akolouthias, hoti mêden en tô
synechei gignetai kenon, kan aporrheê ti; synerchetai
gar pros allêla ta kataleipomena moria, kathaper epi tou
hydatos horatai, kai palin hen gignetai panta tên chôran
tou diaphorêthentos auta katalambanonta; kata de tous
heterous, hoti tôn stoicheiôn ekeinôn ouden deitai tês
pros to kenoumenon akolouthias. epi gar tôn aisthêtôn
monôn, ouk epi tôn logô theôrêtôn echei dynamin, hôs
autos ho Erasistratos homologei diarrhêdên, ou peri tou
toioutou kenou phaskôn hekastote poieisthai ton logon,
ho kata brachy parespartai tois sômasin, alla peri tou
saphous kai aisthêtou kai athroou kai megalou kai
enargous kai hopôs an allôs onomazein ethelês.
Erasistratos men gar autos aisthêton athroôs ou phêsi
dynasthai genesthai kenon; egô d' ek periousias
euporêsas onomatôn tauton dêloun en ge tô nyn prokeimenô
logô dynamenôn kai talla prosethêka.

Kallion oun moi dokei kai || hêmas ti syneisenenkasthai 100
tois Erasistrateiois, epeidê kata touto gegonamen, kai
symbouleusai tois to prôton ekeino kai haploun hyp'
Erasistratou kaloumenon angeion eis heter' atta sômata
stoicheiôdê dialyousin apostênai tês hypolêpseôs, hôs
pros tô mêden echein pleon eti kai diapheromenois
Erasistratô. hoti men oun ouden echei pleon,
epidedeiktai saphôs; oude gar êdynêthê diaphygein tên
peri tês threpseôs aporian hê hypothesis; hoti d' oud'
Erasistratô symphônos estin, ho ekeinos haploun kai
prôton onomazei, syntheton apophainousa, kai tên tês
physeôs technên anairousa, prodêlon kai tout' einai moi
dokei. ei mê gar kan tois haplois toutois henôsin tina
tês ousias apoleipsomen, all' eis anarma kai amerista
katabêsometha stoicheia, pantapasin anairêsomen tês
physeôs tên technên, hôsper kai pantes hoi ek tautês
hormômenoi tês hypotheseôs iatroi kai philosophoi.
deutera gar tôn tou zôou moriôn kata tên toiautên
hypothesin hê physis, ou prôtê gignetai. diaplattein de
|| kai dêmiourgein ou tou deuterou gegonotos, alla tou 101
proÿparchontos estin; hôst' anankaion estin euthys ek
spermatôn hypothesthai tas dynameis tês physeôs, hais
diaplattei te kai auxanei kai trephei to zôon; all'
ekeinôn tôn sômatôn tôn anarmôn kai amerôn ouden en
heautô diaplastikên echei dynamin ê auxêtikên ê
threptikên ê holôs technikên; apathes gar kai
ametablêton hypokeitai. tôn d' eirêmenôn ouden aneu
metabolês kai alloiôseôs kai tês di' holôn kraseôs
gignetai, kathaper kai dia tôn emprosthen enedeixametha.
kai dia tautên tên anankên ouk echontes, hopôs ta
akoloutha tois stoicheiois, hois hypethento,
phylattoien, hoi apo tôn toioutôn haireseôn hapantes
atechnon ênankasthêsan apophênasthai tên physin. kaitoi
tauta g' ou par' hêmôn echrên manthanein tous
Erasistrateious, alla par' autôn tôn philosophôn, hois
malista dokei prôton episkopeisthai ta stoicheia tôn
ontôn hapantôn.

Oukoun oud' Erasistraton an tis orthôs achri tosautês
amathias nomizoi proêkein, hôs mêde tautên gnôrisai
dynêthênai tên akolou||thian, all' hama men hypothesthai 102
technikên tên physin, hama d' eis apathê kai anarma kai
ametablêta stoicheia katathrausai tên ousian. kai mên ei
dôsei tin' en tois stoicheiois alloiôsin te kai
metabolên kai henôsin kai synecheian, hen asyntheton
autô to haploun angeion ekeino, kathaper kai autos
onomazei, genêsetai. all' hê men haplê phleps ex hautês
traphêsetai, to neuron de kai hê artêria para tês
plebos. pôs kai tina tropon? en toutô gar dê kai
prosthen genomenoi tô logô tês tôn Erasistrateiôn
diaphônias emnêmoneusamen, epedeixamen de kai kath'
hekaterous men aporon einai tên tôn haplôn ekeinôn
angeiôn threpsin, alla kai krinai tên machên autôn ouk
ôknêsamen kai timêsai ton Erasistraton eis tên beltiona
metastêsantes hairesin.

Authis oun epi tên hen haploun hênômenon heautô pantê to
stoicheiôdes ekeino neuron hypotithemenên hairesin ho
logos metabas episkopeisthô, pôs traphêsetai; to gar
heurethen entautha koinon an êdê kai tês Hippokratous
haireseôs genoito.

Kallion d' an moi dokô to zêtou||menon epi tôn 103
nenosêkotôn kai sphodra kataleleptysmenôn basanisthênai.
panta gar toutois enargôs phainetai ta moria tou sômatos
atropha kai lepta kai pollês prosthêkês te kai
anathrepseôs deomena. kai toinyn kai to neuron touto to
aisthêton, eph' houper ex archês epoiêsamên ton logon,
ischnon men hikanôs gegone, deitai de threpseôs. echei
d' en heautô merê pampolla men ekeina ta prôta kai
aorata neura ta smikra kai tinas artêrias haplas oligas
kai phlebas homoiôs. hapant' oun autou ta neura ta
stoicheiôdê kataleleptyntai dêlonoti kai auta, ê, ei
mêd' ekeina, oude to holon. kai toinyn kai threpseôs ou
to men holon deitai neuron, hekaston d' ekeinôn ou
deitai. kai mên ei deitai men anathrepseôs, ouden d' hê
pros to kenoumenon akolouthia boêthein autois dynatai
dia te tas emprosthen eirêmenas aporias kai dia tên
hypoguion ischnotêta, kathaper deixô, zêtêteon hêmin
estin heteran aitian threpseôs.

Pôs oun hê pros to kenoumenon akolouthia trephein
adynatos esti ton houtô diakeimenon? hoti tosouton
akolouthein || anankazei tôn synechôn, hoson aporrhei. 104
touto d' epi men tôn euektountôn hikanon estin eis tên
threpsin, isa gar ep' autôn einai chrê tois aporrheousi
ta prostithemena; epi de tôn eschatôs ischnôn kai pollês
anathrepseôs deomenôn ei mê pollaplasion eiê to
prostithemenon tou kenoumenou, tên ex archês hexin
analabein ouk an pote dynainto. dêlon oun, hôs helkein
auta deêsei tosoutô pleion, hosô kai deitai pleionos.
Erasistratos de kantautha proteron poiêsas to deuteron
ouk oid' hopôs ouk aisthanetai. dioti gar, phêsi, pollê
prosthesis eis anathrepsin gignetai tois nenosêkosi, dia
touto kai hê pros tautên akolouthia pollê. pôs d' an
pollê prosthesis genoito mê proêgoumenês anadoseôs
dapsilous? ei de tên dia tôn phlebôn phoran tês trophês
anadosin kalei, tên d' eis hekaston tôn haplôn kai
aoratôn ekeinôn neurôn kai artêriôn metalêpsin ouk
anadosin alla diadosin, hôs tines onomazein êxiôsan,
eita || tên dia tôn phlebôn monê tê pros to kenoumenon 105
akolouthia phêsi gignesthai, tên eis ta logô theôrêta
metalêpsin hêmin exêgêsasthô. hoti men gar ouket' epi
toutôn hê pros to kenoumenon akolouthia legesthai
dynatai kai malist' epi tôn eschatôs ischnôn,
apodedeiktai. ti de phêsin ep' autôn en tô deuterô tôn
katholou logôn ho Erasistratos, axion epakousai tês
lexeôs; "Tois d' eschatois te kai haplois, leptois te
kai stenois ousin, ek tôn parakeimenôn angeiôn hê
prosthesis symbainei eis ta kenômata tôn apenechthentôn
kata ta plagia tôn angeiôn helkomenês tês trophês kai
katachôrizomenês." ek tautês tês lexeôs prôton men to
kata ta plagia prosiemai te kai apodechomai; kata men
gar auto to stoma to haploun neuron ouk an dynaito
dechomenon tên trophên houtôs eis holon heauto
dianemein; anakeitai gar ekeino tô psychikô pneumati;
kata de to plagion ek tês parakeimenês phlebos tês
haplês enchôrei labein auto. deuteron d' apodechomai tôn
ek tês Erasistratou lexeôs onomatôn to gegrammenon
ephexês tô kata ta plagia. || ti gar phêsi? "Kata ta 106
plagia tôn angeiôn helkomenês tês trophês." hoti men oun
helketai, kai hêmeis homologoumen, hoti d' ou tê pros to
kenoumenon akolouthia, dedeiktai prosthen.

VII

Let us, then, consider together how it is attracted. How else than in the way that iron is attracted by the lodestone, the latter having a faculty attractive of this particular quality [existing in iron]?[233] But if the beginning of anadosis depends on the squeezing action of the stomach,[234] and the whole movement thereafter on the peristalsis and propulsive action of the veins, as well as on the traction exerted by each of the parts which are undergoing nourishment, then we can abandon the principle of replacement of evacuated matter, as not being suitable for a man who assumes Nature to be a skilled artist; thus we shall also have avoided the contradiction of Asclepiades[235] though we cannot refute it: for the disjunctive argument used for the purposes of demonstration is, in reality, disjunctive not of two but of three alternatives; now, if we treat the disjunction as a disjunction of two alternatives, one of the two propositions assumed in constructing our proof must be false; and if as a disjunctive of three alternatives, no conclusion will be arrived at.

VII

Exeurômen oun koinê, pôs helketai. pôs d' allôs ê hôs ho
sidêros hypo tês hêrakleias lithou dynamin echousês
helktikên toiautês poiotêtos? all' ei tên men archên tês
anadoseôs hê tês koilias enthlipsis parechetai, tên de
meta tauta phoran hapasan hai te phlebes peristellomenai
kai proôthousai kai tôn trephomenôn hekaston epispômenon
eis heauto, tês pros to kenoumenon akolouthias
apostantes, hôs ou prepousês andri technikên hypothemenô
tên physin, houtôs an êdê kai tên antilogian eiêmen
pepheugotes tên Asklêpiadou mê dynamenoi ge lyein autên.
to gar eis tên apodeixin paralambanomenon lêmma to
diezeugmenon ouk ek dyoin all' ek triôn esti kata ge tên
alêtheian diezeugmenon. ei men oun hôs ek dyoin autô
chrê||saimetha, pseudos estai ti tôn eis tên apodeixin 107
pareilêmmenôn; ei d' hôs ek triôn, aperantos ho logos
genêsetai.

VIII

Now Erasistratus ought not to have been ignorant of this if he had ever had anything to do with the Peripatetics--even in a dream. Nor, similarly, should he have been unacquainted with the genesis of the _humours_, about which, not having even anything moderately plausible to say, he thinks to deceive us by the excuse that the consideration of such matters is not the least useful. Then, in Heaven's name, is it useful to know how food is digested in the stomach, but unnecessary to know how _bile_ comes into existence in the veins? Are we to pay attention merely to the evacuation of this humour, and not to its genesis? As though it were not far better to prevent its excessive development from the beginning than to give ourselves all the trouble of expelling it![236] And it is a strange thing to be entirely unaware as to whether its genesis is to be looked on as taking place in the body, or whether it comes from without and is contained in the food. For, if it was right to raise this problem, why should we not make investigations concerning the _blood_ as well--whether it takes its origin in the body, or is distributed through the food as is maintained by those who postulate _homoemeries_?[237] Assuredly it would be much more useful to investigate what kinds of food are suited, and what kinds unsuited, to the process of blood-production[238] rather than to enquire into what articles of diet are easily mastered by the activity of the stomach, and what resist and contend with it. For the choice of the latter bears reference merely to digestion, while that of the former is of importance in regard to the generation of useful blood. For it is not equally important whether the aliment be imperfectly chylified[239] in the stomach or whether it fail to be turned into useful blood. Why is Erasistratus not ashamed to distinguish all the various kinds of digestive failure and all the occasions which give rise to them, whilst in reference to the errors of blood-production he does not utter a single word--nay, not a syllable? Now, there is certainly to be found in the veins both thick and thin blood; in some people it is redder, in others yellower, in some blacker, in others more of the nature of phlegm. And one who realizes that it may smell offensively not in one way only, but in a great many different respects (which cannot be put into words, although perfectly appreciable to the senses), would, I imagine, condemn in no measured terms the carelessness of Erasistratus in omitting a consideration so essential to the practice of our art.

Thus it is clear what errors in regard to the subject of _dropsies_ logically follow this carelessness. For, does it not show the most extreme carelessness to suppose that the blood is prevented from going forward into the liver owing to the _narrowness of the passages_, and that dropsy can never occur in any other way? For, to imagine that dropsy is never caused by the spleen[240] or any other part, but always by induration of the liver,[241] is the standpoint of a man whose intelligence is perfectly torpid and who is quite out of touch with things that happen every day. For, not merely once or twice, but frequently, we have observed dropsy produced by chronic haemorrhoids which have been suppressed,[242] or which, through immoderate bleeding, have given the patient a severe chill; similarly, in women, the complete disappearance of the monthly discharge,[243] or an undue evacuation such as is caused by violent bleeding from the womb, often provoke dropsy; and in some of them the so-called female flux ends in this disorder. I leave out of account the dropsy which begins in the flanks or in any other susceptible part; this clearly confutes Erasistratus's assumption, although not so obviously as does that kind of dropsy which is brought about by an excessive chilling of the whole constitution; this, which is the primary reason for the occurrence of dropsy, results from a failure of blood-production,[244] very much like the diarrhoea which follows imperfect digestion of food; certainly in this kind of dropsy neither the liver nor any other viscus becomes indurated.

The learned Erasistratus, however, overlooks--nay, despises--what neither Hippocrates, Diocles, Praxagoras, nor Philistion[245] despised, nor indeed any of the best philosophers, whether Plato, Aristotle, or Theophrastus; he passes by whole functions as though it were but a trifling and casual department of medicine which he was neglecting, without deigning to argue whether or not these authorities are right in saying that the bodily parts of all animals are governed by the Warm, the Cold, the Dry and the Moist, the one pair being active and the other passive, and that among these the Warm has most power in connection with all functions, but especially with the genesis of the humours.[246] Now, one cannot be blamed for not agreeing with all these great men, nor for imagining that one knows more than they; but not to consider such distinguished teaching worthy either of contradiction or even mention shows an extraordinary arrogance.

Now, Erasistratus is thoroughly small-minded and petty to the last degree in all his disputations--when, for instance, in his treatise "On Digestion,"[247] he argues jealously with those who consider that this is a process of putrefaction of the food; and, in his work "On Anadosis,"[248] with those who think that the anadosis of blood through the veins results from the contiguity of the arteries; also, in his work "On Respiration," with those who maintain that the air is forced along by contraction. Nay, he did not even hesitate to contradict those who maintain that the urine passes into the bladder in a vaporous state,[249] as also those who say that imbibed fluids are carried into the lung. Thus he delights to choose always the most valueless doctrines, and to spend his time more and more in contradicting these; whereas on the subject of the _origin of blood_ (which is in no way less important than the chylification[250] of food in the stomach) he did not deign to dispute with any of the ancients, nor did he himself venture to bring forward any other opinion, despite the fact that at the beginning of his treatise on "General Principles" he undertook to say how all the various natural functions take place, and through what parts of the animal! Now, is it possible that, when the faculty which naturally digests food is weak, the animal's digestion fails, whereas the faculty which turns the digested food into blood cannot suffer any kind of impairment?[251] Are we to suppose this latter faculty alone to be as tough as steel and unaffected by circumstances? Or is it that weakness of this faculty will result in something else than dropsy? The fact, therefore, that Erasistratus, in regard to other matters, did not hesitate to attack even the most trivial views, whilst in this case he neither dared to contradict his predecessors nor to advance any new view of his own, proves plainly that he recognized the fallacy of his own way of thinking.[252]

For what could a man possibly say about blood who had no use for _innate heat_? What could he say about yellow or black bile, or phlegm? Well, of course, he might say that the bile could come directly from without, mingled with the food! Thus Erasistratus practically says so in the following words: "It is of no value in practical medicine to find out whether a fluid of this kind[253] arises from the elaboration of food in the stomach-region, or whether it reaches the body because it is mixed with the food taken in from outside." But, my very good Sir, you most certainly maintain also that this humour has to be evacuated from the animal, and that it causes great pain if it be not evacuated. How, then, if you suppose that no good comes from the bile, do you venture to say that an investigation into its origin is of no value in medicine?

Well, let us suppose that it is contained in the food, and not specifically secreted in the liver (for you hold these two things possible). In this case, it will certainly make a considerable difference whether the ingested food contains a minimum or a maximum of bile; for the one kind is harmless, whereas that containing a large quantity of bile, owing to the fact that it cannot be properly purified[254] in the liver, will result in the various affections--particularly jaundice--which Erasistratus himself states to occur where there is much bile. Surely, then, it is most essential for the physician to know in the first place, that the bile is contained in the food itself from outside, and, secondly, that for example, beet contains a great deal of bile, and bread very little, while olive oil contains most, and wine least of all, and all the other articles of diet different quantities. Would it not be absurd for any one to choose voluntarily those articles which contain more bile, rather than those containing less?

What, however, if the bile is not contained in the food, but comes into existence in the animal's body? Will it not also be useful to know what _state of the body_ is followed by a greater, and what by a smaller occurrence of bile?[255] For obviously it is in our power to alter and transmute morbid states of the body--in fact, to give them a turn for the better. But if we did not know in what respect they were morbid or in what way they diverged from the normal, how should we be able to ameliorate them?

Therefore it is not useless in treatment, as Erasistratus says, to know the actual truth about the genesis of bile. Certainly it is not impossible, or even difficult to discover that the reason why _honey_ produces yellow bile is not that it contains a large quantity of this within itself, but because it [the honey] undergoes change, becoming _altered_ and transmuted into bile. For it would be bitter to the taste if it contained bile from the outset, and it would produce an equal quantity of bile in every person who took it. The facts, however, are not so.[256] For in those who are in the prime of life, especially if they are warm by nature and are leading a life of toil, the honey changes entirely into yellow bile. Old people, however, it suits well enough, inasmuch as the alteration which it undergoes is not into bile, but into blood. Erasistratus, however, in addition to knowing nothing about this, shows no intelligence even in the division of his argument; he says that it is of no practical importance to investigate whether the bile is contained in the food from the beginning or comes into existence as a result of gastric digestion. He ought surely to have added something about its genesis in liver and veins, seeing that the old physicians and philosophers declare that it along with the blood is generated in these organs. But it is inevitable that people who, from the very outset, go astray, and wander from the right road, should talk such nonsense, and should, over and above this, neglect to search for the factors of most practical importance in medicine.

Having come to this point in the argument, I should like to ask those who declare that Erasistratus was very familiar with the Peripatetics, whether they know what Aristotle stated and demonstrated with regard to our bodies being compounded out of the Warm, the Cold, the Dry and the Moist, and how he says that among these the Warm is the most active, and that those animals which are by nature warmest have abundance of blood, whilst those that are colder are entirely lacking in blood, and consequently in winter lie idle and motionless, lurking in holes like corpses. Further, the question of the colour of the blood has been dealt with not only by Aristotle but also by Plato.[257] Now I, for my part, as I have already said, did not set before myself the task of stating what has been so well demonstrated by the Ancients, since I cannot surpass these men either in my views or in my method of giving them expression. Doctrines, however, which they either stated without demonstration, as being self-evident (since they never suspected that there could be sophists so degraded as to contemn the truth in these matters), or else which they actually omitted to mention at all--these I propose to discover and prove.

Now in reference to the _genesis of the humours_, I do not know that any one could add anything wiser than what has been said by Hippocrates, Aristotle, Praxagoras, Philotimus[258] and many other among the Ancients. These men demonstrated that when the nutriment becomes altered in the veins by the innate heat, blood is produced when it is in moderation, and the other humours when it is not in proper proportion. And all the observed facts[259] agree with this argument. Thus, those articles of food, which are by nature warmer are more productive of bile, while those which are colder produce more phlegm. Similarly of the periods of life, those which are naturally warmer tend more to bile, and the colder more to phlegm. Of occupations also, localities and seasons, and, above all, of natures[260] themselves, the colder are more phlegmatic, and the warmer more bilious. Also cold diseases result from phlegm, and warmer ones from yellow bile. There is not a single thing to be found which does not bear witness to the truth of this account. How could it be otherwise? For, seeing that every part functions in its own special way because of the manner in which the four qualities are compounded, it is absolutely necessary that the function [activity] should be either completely destroyed, or, at least hampered, by any damage to the qualities, and that thus the animal should fall ill, either as a whole, or in certain of its parts.

Also the diseases which are primary and most generic are four in number, and differ from each other in warmth, cold, dryness and moisture. Now, Erasistratus himself confesses this, albeit unintentionally;[261] for when he says that the digestion of food becomes worse in fever, not because the innate heat has ceased to be in due proportion, as people previously supposed, but because the stomach, with its activity impaired, cannot contract and triturate as before--then, I say, one may justly ask him what it is that has impaired the activity of the stomach.

Thus, for example, when a bubo develops following an accidental wound[262] gastric digestion does not become impaired _until after the patient has become fevered_; neither the bubo nor the sore of itself impedes in any way or damages the activity of the stomach. But if fever occurs, the digestion at once deteriorates, and we are also right in saying that the activity of the stomach at once becomes impaired. We must add, however, by what it has been impaired. For the wound was not capable of impairing it, nor yet the bubo, for, if they had been, then they would have caused this damage before the fever as well. If it was not these that caused it, then it was the excess of heat[263] (for these two symptoms occurred besides the bubo--an alteration in the arterial and cardiac movements[264] and an excessive development of natural heat). Now the alteration of these movements will not merely not impair the function of the stomach in any way: it will actually prove an additional help among those animals in which, according to Erasistratus, the _pneuma_, which is propelled through the arteries and into the alimentary canal, is of great service in digestion;[265] there is only left, then, the disproportionate heat to account for the damage to the gastric activity. For the pneuma is driven in more vigorously and continuously, and in greater quantity now than before; thus in this case, the animal whose digestion is promoted by pneuma will digest more, whereas the remaining factor--abnormal heat--will give them indigestion. For to say, on the one hand, that the pneuma has a certain property by virtue of which it promotes digestion, and then to say that this property disappears in cases of fever, is simply to admit the absurdity. For when they are again asked what it is that has altered the pneuma, they will only be able to reply, "the abnormal heat," and particularly if it be the pneuma in the food canal which is in question (since this does not come in any way near the bubo).

Yet why do I mention those animals in which the property of the pneuma plays an important part, when it is possible to base one's argument upon human beings, in whom it is either of no importance at all, or acts quite faintly and feebly?[266] But Erasistratus himself agrees that human beings digest badly in fevers, adding as the cause that the activity of the stomach has been impaired. He cannot, however, advance any other cause of this impairment than abnormal heat. But if it is not by accident that the abnormal heat impairs this activity, but by virtue of its own essence and power, then this abnormal heat must belong to the _primary diseases_. But, indeed, if _disproportion_ of heat belongs to the primary diseases, it cannot but be that a _proportionate_ blending [eucrasia] of the qualities produces the normal activity.[267] For a disproportionate blend [dyscrasia] can only become a cause of the primary diseases through derangement of the eucrasia. That is to say, it is because the [normal] activities arise from the eucrasia that the primary impairments of these activities necessarily arise from its derangement.

I think, then, it has been proved to the satisfaction of those people who are capable of seeing logical consequences, that, even according to Erasistratus's own argument, the cause of the normal functions is eucrasia of the Warm.[268] Now, this being so, there is nothing further to prevent us from saying that, in the case of each function, eucrasia is followed by the more, and dyscrasia by the less favourable alternative. And, therefore, if this be the case, we must suppose blood to be the outcome of proportionate, and yellow bile of disproportionate heat. So we naturally find yellow bile appearing in greatest quantity in ourselves at the warm periods of life, in warm countries, at warm seasons of the year, and when we are in a warm condition; similarly in people of warm temperaments, and in connection with warm occupations, modes of life, or diseases.

And to be in doubt as to whether this humour has its genesis in the human body or is contained in the food is what you would expect from one who has--I will not say failed to see that, when those who are perfectly healthy have, under the compulsion of circumstances, to fast contrary to custom, their mouths become bitter and their urine bile-coloured, while they suffer from gnawing pains in the stomach--but has, as it were, just made a sudden entrance into the world, and is not yet familiar with the phenomena which occur there. Who, in fact, does not know that anything which is overcooked grows at first salt and afterwards bitter? And if you will boil honey itself, far the sweetest of all things, you can demonstrate that even this becomes quite bitter. For what may occur as a result of boiling in the case of other articles which are not warm by nature, exists naturally in honey; for this reason it does not become sweeter on being boiled, since exactly the same quantity of heat as is needed for the production of sweetness exists from beforehand in the honey. Therefore the external heat, which would be useful for insufficiently warm substances, becomes in the honey a source of damage, in fact an excess; and it is for this reason that honey, when boiled, can be demonstrated to become bitter sooner than the others. For the same reason it is easily transmuted into bile in those people who are naturally warm, or in their prime, since warm when associated with warm becomes readily changed into a disproportionate combination and turns into bile sooner than into blood. Thus we need a cold temperament and a cold period of life if we would have honey brought to the nature of blood.[269] Therefore Hippocrates not improperly advised those who were naturally bilious not to take honey, since they were obviously of too warm a temperament. So also, not only Hippocrates, but all physicians say that honey is bad in bilious diseases but good in old age; some of them having discovered this through the indications afforded by its nature, and others simply through experiment,[270] for the Empiricist physicians too have made precisely the same observation, namely, that honey is good for an old man and not for a young one, that it is harmful for those who are naturally bilious, and serviceable for those who are phlegmatic. In a word, in bodies which are warm either through nature, disease, time of life, season of the year, locality, or occupation, honey is productive of bile, whereas in opposite circumstances it produces blood.

But surely it is impossible that the same article of diet can produce in certain persons bile and in others blood, if it be not that the genesis of these humours is accomplished _in the body_. For if all articles of food contained bile from the beginning and of themselves, and did not produce it by undergoing change in the animal body, then they would produce it similarly in all bodies; the food which was bitter to the taste would, I take it, be productive of bile, while that which tasted good and sweet would not generate even the smallest quantity of bile. Moreover, not only honey but all other sweet substances are readily converted into bile in the aforesaid bodies which are warm for any of the reasons mentioned.

Well, I have somehow or other been led into this discussion,--not in accordance with my plan, but compelled by the course of the argument. This subject has been treated at great length by Aristotle and Praxagoras, who have correctly expounded the view of Hippocrates and Plato.

VIII

Kai taut' ouk echrên agnoein ton Erasistraton, eiper kan
onar pote tois ek tou peripatou synetychen, hôsper oun
oude ta peri tês geneseôs tôn chymôn, hyper hôn ouden
echôn eipein oude mechri tou metriou pithanon oietai
parakrouesthai skêptomenos, hôs oude chrêsimos holôs
estin hê tôn toioutôn episkepsis. eit', ô pros theôn,
hopôs men ta sitia kata tên gastera pettetai chrêsimon
epistasthai, pôs d' en tais phlepsin hê cholê gignetai,
peritton? kai tês kenôseôs ara phrontisteon autês monês,
amelêteon de tês geneseôs? hôsper ouk ameinon hyparchon
makrô to kôlyein euthys ex archês gennasthai pleiona tou
pragmat' echein ekkenountas. thaumaston de kai to
diaporein, eit' en tô sômati tên genesin autês
hypotheteon eit' euthys exôthen en tois sitiois
periechesthai phateon. ei gar dê touto kalôs êporêtai,
ti ouchi kai peri tou haimatos episkepsometha, poteron
en tô sômati || lambanei tên genesin ê tois sitiois 108
parespartai, kathaper hoi tas homoiomereias
hypotithemenoi phasi? kai mên pollô g' ên chrêsimôteron
zêteisthai, poia tôn sitiôn homologei tê tês haimatôseôs
energeia kai poia diapheretai, tou zêtein, tina men tê
tês gastros energeia nikatai rhadiôs, tina d' antibainei
kai machetai. toutôn men gar hê eklexis eis pepsin
monên, ekeinôn d' eis haimatos chrêstou diapherei
genesin. oude gar ison estin ê mê kalôs en tê gastri
chylôthênai tên trophên ê mê chrêston haima gennêthênai.
pôs d' ouk aideitai tas men tês pepseôs apotychias
diairoumenos, hôs pollai t' eisi kai kata pollas
gignontai prophaseis, hyper de tôn tês haimatôseôs
sphalmatôn oud' achri rhêmatos henos oud' achri syllabês
mias phthenxamenos? kai mên heurisketai ge kai pachy kai
lepton en tais phlepsin haima kai tois men erythroteron,
tois de xanthoteron, tois de melanteron, tois de
phlegmatôdesteron. ei d' hoti kai dysôdes ouch hena
tropon all' en pollais pany diaphorais arrhêtois men
logô, sa||phestatais d' aisthêsesi phainetai gignomenon, 109
eideiê tis, ouk an oimai metriôs eti katagnôsesthai tês
Erasistratou rhathymias auton houtô g' anankaian eis ta
erga tês technês theôrian paralipontos.

Enargê gar dê kai ta peri tôn hyderôn hamartêmata tê
rhathymia tautê kata logon êkolouthêkota. to te gar tê
stenochôria tôn hodôn kôlyesthai nomizein prosô tou
hêpatos ienai to haima kai mêdepot' an allôs hyderon
dynasthai systênai pôs ouk eschatên endeiknytai
rhathymian? to te mê dia ton splêna mêde di' allo ti
morion, all' aei dia ton en tô hêpati skirrhon hyderon
oiesthai gignesthai teleôs argou tên dianoian anthrôpou
kai mêdeni tôn hosêmerai gignomenôn parakolouthountos.
epi men ge chroniais haimorrhoïsin epischetheisais ê dia
kenôsin ametron eis psyxin eschatên agagousais ton
anthrôpon ouch hapax oude dis alla pollakis êdê
tetheametha systantas hyderous, hôsper ge kai gynaixin
hê te tês eph' hekastô mêni katharseôs apôleia pantelês
kai ametros kenôsis, hotan haimorrhagêsôsi poth' hai
mêtrai sphodrôs, epekalesanto pol||lakis hyderon kai 110
tisin autôn kai ho gynaikeios onomazomenos rhous eis
tout' eteleutêse to pathos, hina tous apo tôn keneônôn
archomenous ê allou tinos tôn epikairôn moriôn hyderous
paralipô, saphôs men kai autous exelenchontas tên
Erasistrateion hypolêpsin, all' ouch houtôs enargôs hôs
hoi dia katapsyxin sphodran tês holês hexeôs
apoteloumenoi. prôtê gar hautê geneseôs hyderôn aitia
dia tên apotychian tês haimatôseôs gignomenê tropon
homoiotaton tais epi tê tôn sitiôn apepsia diarrhoiais.
ou mên eskirrhôtai ge kata tous toioutous hyderous oud'
allo ti splanchnon oude to hêpar.

All' Erasistratos ho sophos hyperidôn kai kataphronêsas,
hôn outh' Hippokratês oute Dioklês oute Praxagoras oute
Philistiôn all' oude tôn aristôn philosophôn oudeis
katephronêsen oute Platôn out' Aristotelês oute
Theophrastos, holas energeias hyperbainei kathaper ti
smikron kai to tychon tês technês paralipôn meros oud'
anteipein axiôsas, eit' orthôs eite kai mê || sympantes 111
houtoi thermô kai psychrô kai xêrô kai hygrô, tois men
hôs drôsi, tois d' hôs paschousi, ta kata to sôma tôn
zôôn hapantôn dioikeisthai phasi kai hôs to thermon en
autois eis te tas allas energeias kai malist' eis tên
tôn chymôn genesin to pleiston dynatai. alla to men mê
peithesthai tosoutois te kai têlikoutois andrasi kai
pleon autôn oiesthai ti gignôskein anemesêton, to de
mêt' antilogias axiôsai mête mnêmês houtôs endoxon dogma
thaumastên tina tên hyperopsian endeiknytai.

Kai mên smikrotatos esti tên gnômên kai tapeinos
eschatôs en hapasais tais antilogiais en men tois peri
tês pepseôs logois tois sêpesthai ta sitia nomizousi
philotimôs antilegôn, en de tois peri tês anadoseôs tois
dia tên parathesin tôn artêriôn anadidosthai to dia tôn
phlebôn haima nomizousin, en de tois peri tês anapnoês
tois periôtheisthai ton aera phaskousin. ouk ôknêse d'
oude tois atmoeidôs eis tên kystin ienai ta oura
nomizousin anteipein oude tois eis || ton pneumona 112
pheresthai to poton. houtôs en hapasi tas cheiristas
epilegomenos doxas agalletai diatribôn epi pleon en tais
antilogiais; epi de tês tou haimatos geneseôs ouden
atimoteras ousês tês en tê gastri chylôseôs tôn sitiôn
out' anteipein tini tôn presbyterôn êxiôsen out' autos
eisêgêsasthai tin' heteran gnômên etolmêsen, ho peri
pasôn tôn physikôn energeiôn en archê tôn katholou logôn
hyposchomenos erein, hopôs te gignontai kai di' hôntinôn
tou zôou moriôn. ê tês men pettein ta sitia pephykuias
dynameôs arrhôstousês apeptêsei to zôon, tês d'
haimatousês ta pephthenta ouden estai pathêma to
parapan, all' adamantinê tis hêmin hautê monê kai
apathês estin? ê allo ti tês arrhôstias autês ekgonon
hyparxei kai ouch hyderos? dêlos oun enargôs estin ho
Erasistratos ex hôn en men tois allois oude tais
phaulotatais doxais antilegein ôknêsen, entauthoi d'
out' anteipein tois prosthen out' autos eipein ti kainon
etolmêse, to sphalma tês heautou gnôrizôn haireseôs.

Ti gar an kai legein eschen hyper haimatos || anthrôpos 113
eis mêden tô symphytô thermô chrômenos? ti de peri
xanthês cholês ê melainês ê phlegmatos? hoti nê Dia
dynaton estin anamemigmenên tois sitiois euthys exôthen
paragignesthai tên cholên. legei goun hôde pôs autois
onomasi; "Poteron d' en tê peri tên koilian katergasia
tês trophês gennatai toiautê hygrasia ê memigmenê tois
exôthen prospheromenois paragignetai, ouden chrêsimon
pros iatrikên epeskephthai." kai mên, ô gennaiotate, kai
kenousthai chrênai phaskeis ek tou zôou ton chymon
touton kai megalôs lypein, ei mê kenôtheiê. pôs oun
ouden ex autou chrêston hypolambanôn gignesthai tolmas
achrêston legein eis iatrikên einai tên peri tês
geneseôs autou skepsin?

Hypokeisthô gar en men tois sitiois periechesthai, mê
diakrinesthai d' akribôs en hêpati; tauta gar amphotera
nomizeis einai dynata. kai mên ou smikron entautha to
diapheron ê elachistên ê pampollên cholên en heautois
periechonta prosarasthai sitia. ta men gar akindyna, ta
de pampollên periechonta tô mê dynasthai pasan autên en
|| hêpati katharthênai kalôs aitia katastêsetai tôn t' 114
allôn pathôn, hôn autos ho Erasistratos epi plêthei
cholês gignesthai phêsi, kai tôn ikterôn ouch hêkista.
pôs oun ouk anankaiotaton iatrô gignôskein, prôton men,
hôs en tois sitiois autois exôthen hê cholê periechetai,
deuteron d', hôs to men teutlon, ei tychoi, pampollên,
ho d' artos elachistên kai to men elaion pleistên, ho d'
oinos oligistên hekaston te tôn allôn anison tô plêthei
periechei tên cholên? pôs gar ouk an eiê geloiotatos,
hos an hekôn hairêtai ta pleiona cholên en heautois
periechonta pro tôn enantiôn?

Ti d' ei mê periechetai men en tois sitiois hê cholê,
gignetai d' en tois tôn zôôn sômasin? ê ouchi kai kata
touto chrêsimon epistasthai, tini men katastasei sômatos
hepetai pleiôn autês hê genesis, tini d' elattôn?
alloioun gar dêpou kai metaballein hoioi t' esmen kai
trepein epi to beltion aei tas mochthêras katastaseis
tou sômatos. all' ei mê gignôskoimen, kathoti mochthêrai
kai hopê tês deousês existantai, pôs an autas epanagein
hoioi t' eiêmen epi to || kreitton? 115

Oukoun achrêston estin eis tas iaseis, hôs Erasistratos
phêsin, epistasthai talêthes auto peri geneseôs cholês.
ou mên oud' adynaton oud' asaphes exeurein, hoti mê tô
pleistên en heautô periechein to meli tên xanthên cholên
all' en tô sômati metaballomenon eis autên alloioutai te
kai trepetai. pikron te gar an ên geuomenois, ei cholên
exôthen euthys en heautô perieichen hapasi t' an
hôsautôs tois anthrôpois ison autês egenna to plêthos.
all' ouch hôd' echei talêthes. en men gar tois akmazousi
kai malist' ei physei thermoteroi kai bion eien biountes
talaipôron, hapan eis xanthên cholên metaballei to meli;
tois gerousi d' hikanôs estin epitêdeion, hôs an ouk eis
cholên all' eis haima tên alloiôsin en ekeinois
lambanon. Erasistratos de pros tô mêden toutôn
gignôskein oude peri tên diairesin tou logou sôphronei,
poteron en tois sitiois hê cholê periechetai euthys ex
archês ê kata tên en tê koilia katergasian egeneto,
mêden einai chrêsimon eis iatrikên epeskephthai legôn.
echrên || gar dêpou prostheinai ti kai peri tês en 116
hêpati kai phlepsi geneseôs autês, en toisde tois
organois gennasthai tên cholên hama tô haimati tôn
palaiôn iatrôn te kai philosophôn apophênamenôn. alla
tois euthys ex archês sphaleisi kai diamartanousi tês
orthês hodou toiauta te lêrein anankaion esti kai
proseti tôn chrêsimôtatôn eis tên technên paralipein tên
zêtêsin.

Hêdeôs d' an entautha tou logou gegonôs êromên tous
homilêsai phaskontas auton epi pleiston tois ek tou
peripatou philosophois, ei gignôskousin, hosa peri tou
kekrasthai ta sômath' hêmôn ek thermou kai psychrou kai
xêrou kai hygrou pros Aristotelous eirêtai te kai
apodedeiktai, kai hôs to thermon en autois esti to
drastikôtaton kai hôs tôn zôôn hosa men thermotera
physei, tauta pantôs enaima, ta d' epi pleon psychrotera
pantôs anaima kai dia touto tou cheimônos arga kai
akinêta keitai phôleuonta dikên nekrôn. eirêtai de kai
peri tês chroias tou haimatos ouk Aristotelei monon,
alla kai Platôni. kai hêmeis nyn, hoper êdê kai prosthen
eipon, || ou ta kalôs apodedeigmena tois palaiois legein 117
prouthemetha, mête tê gnômê mête tê lexei tous andras
ekeinous hyperbalesthai dynamenoi; ta d' êtoi chôris
apodeixeôs hôs enargê pros autôn eirêmena dia to mêd'
hyponoêsai mochthêrous houtôs esesthai tinas sophistas,
hoi kataphronêsousi tês en autois alêtheias, ê kai
paraleleimmena teleôs hyp' ekeinôn axioumen heuriskein
te kai apodeiknynai.

Peri de tês tôn chymôn geneseôs ouk oid', ei echei tis
heteron prostheinai sophôteron hôn Hippokratês eipe kai
Aristotelês kai Praxagoras kai Philotimos kai alloi
polloi tôn palaiôn. apodedeiktai gar ekeinois tois
andrasin alloioumenês tês trophês en tais phlepsin hypo
tês emphytou thermasias haima men hypo tês symmetrias
tês kat' autên, hoi d' alloi chymoi dia tas ametrias
gignomenoi; kai toutô tô logô panth' homologei ta
phainomena. kai gar tôn edesmatôn hosa men esti
thermotera physei, cholôdestera, ta de psychrotera
phlegmatikôtera; kai tôn hêlikiôn hôsautôs
cholôdeste||rai men hai thermoterai physei, 118
phlegmatôdesterai d' hai psychroterai; kai tôn
epitêdeumatôn de kai tôn chôrôn kai tôn hôrôn kai poly
dê proteron eti tôn physeôn autôn hai men psychroterai
phlegmatôdesterai, cholôdesterai d' hai thermoterai; kai
nosêmatôn ta men psychra tou phlegmatos ekgona, ta de
therma tês xanthês cholês; kai holôs ouden estin heurein
tôn pantôn, ho mê toutô tô logô martyrei. pôs d' ou
mellei? dia gar tên ek tôn tettarôn poian krasin
hekastou tôn moriôn hôdi pôs energountos anankê pasa kai
dia tên blabên autôn ê diaphtheiresthai teleôs ê
empodizesthai ge tên energeian kai houtô nosein to zôon
ê holon ê kata ta moria.

Kai ta prôta ge kai genikôtata nosêmata tettara ton
arithmon hyparchei thermotêti kai psychrotêti kai
xêrotêti kai hygrotêti diapheronta. touto de kai autos
ho Erasistratos homologei kaitoi mê boulomenos. hotan
gar en tois pyretois cheirous tôn sitiôn tas pepseis
gignesthai legê, mê dioti tês emphytou || thermasias hê 119
symmetria diephthartai, kathaper hoi prosthen
hypelambanon, all' hoti peristellesthai kai tribein hê
gastêr ouch homoiôs dynatai beblammenê tên energeian,
eresthai dikaion auton, hypo tinos hê tês gastros
energeia beblaptai.

Genomenou gar, ei tychoi, boubônos epi prosptaismati,
prin men pyrexai ton anthrôpon, ouk an cheiron hê gastêr
pepseien; ou gar hikanon ên oudeteron autôn outh' ho
boubôn oute to helkos empodisai ti kai blapsai tên
energeian tês koilias; ei de pyrexeien, euthys men hai
pepseis gignontai cheirous, euthys de kai tên energeian
tês gastros beblaphthai phamen orthôs legontes. all'
hypo tinos eblabê, prostheinai chrê tô logô. to men gar
helkos ouch hoion t' ên autên blaptein, hôsper oud' ho
boubôn; ê gar an eblapse kai pro tou pyretou. ei de mê
tauta, dêlon, hôs hê tês thermasias pleonexia. dyo gar
tauta prosegeneto tô boubôni, hê tês kata tas artêrias
te kai tên kardian kinêseôs alloiôsis kai hê tês kata
physin thermasias pleonexia. all' hê men tês kinêseôs
alloiôsis ou monon ouden blapsei tên energeian tês
ga||stros, alla kai prosôphelêsei kat' ekeina tôn zôôn, 120
en hois eis tên pepsin hypetheto pleiston dynasthai to
dia tôn artêriôn eis tên koilian empipton pneuma. dia
loipên oun eti kai monên tên ametron thermasian hê blabê
tês energeias tê gastri. to men gar pneuma sphodroteron
te kai synechesteron kai pleon empiptei nyn ê proteron.
hôste tautê men mallon pepsei ta dia to pneuma kalôs
pettonta zôa, dia loipên d' eti tên para physin
thermasian apeptêsei. to gar kai tô pneumati phanai tin'
hyparchein idiotêta, kath' hên pettei, kapeita tautên
pyrettontôn diaphtheiresthai kath' heteron tropon estin
homologêsai to atopon. erôtêthentes gar authis, hypo
tinos êlloiôthê to pneuma, monên hexousin apokrinesthai
tên para physin thermasian kai malist' epi tou kata tên
koilian; oude gar plêsiazei kat' ouden touto tô boubôni.

Kaitoi ti tôn zôôn ekeinôn, en hois hê tou pneumatos
idiotês mega dynatai, mnêmoneuô, paron ep' anthrôpois,
en hois ê ouden ê pantapasin amy||dron ti kai mikron 121
ôphelei, poieisthai ton logon? all' hoti men en tois
pyretois houtoi kakôs pettousin, homologei kai autos kai
tên g' aitian prostitheis beblaphthai phêsi tês gastros
tên energeian. ou mên allên ge tina prophasin tês blabês
eipein echei plên tês para physin thermasias. all' ei
blaptei tên energeian hê para physin thermasia mê kata
ti symbebêkos, alla dia tên hautês ousian te kai
dynamin, ek tôn prôtôn an eiê nosêmatôn; kai mên ouk
endechetai tôn prôtôn men einai nosêmatôn tên ametrian
tês thermasias, tên d' energeian hypo tês eukrasias mê
gignesthai. oude gar di' allo ti dynaton gignesthai tên
dyskrasian aitian tôn prôtôn nosêmatôn all' ê dia tên
eukrasian diaphtheiromenên. tô gar hypo tautês
gignesthai tas energeias anankê kai tas prôtas autôn
blabas diaphtheiromenês gignesthai.

Hoti men oun kai kat' auton ton Erasistraton hê eukrasia
tou thermou tôn energeiôn aitia, tois theôrein to
akolouthon dynamenois hikanôs apodedeichthai nomizô.
toutou d' hyparchontos hêmin ouden eti chalepon || eph' 122
hekastês energeias tê men eukrasia to beltion hepesthai
legein, tê de dyskrasia ta cheirô. kai toinyn eiper
tauth' houtôs echei, to men haima tês symmetrou
thermasias, tên de xanthên cholên tês ametrou nomisteon
hyparchein engonon. houtô gar kai hêmin en te tais
thermais hêlikiais kai tois thermois chôriois kai tais
hôrais tou etous tais thermais kai tais thermais
katastasesin, hôsautôs de kai tais thermais krasesi tôn
anthrôpôn kai tois epitêdeumasi te kai tois diaitêmasi
kai tois nosêmasi tois thermois eulogôs hê xanthê cholê
pleistê phainetai gignomenê.

To d' aporein, eit' en tois sômasi tôn anthrôpôn ho
chymos houtos echei tên genesin eit' en tois sitiois
periechetai, mêd' hoti tois hygiainousin amemptôs, hotan
asitêsôsi para to ethos hypo tinos peristaseôs pragmatôn
anankasthentes, pikron men to stoma gignetai, cholôdê de
ta oura, daknetai d' hê gastêr, heôrakotos estin all'
hôsper exaiphnês nyn eis ton kosmon elêlythotos kai mêpô
ta kat' auton phainomena gignôskontos. epei tis ouk
oiden, hôs hekaston tôn hepsomenôn epi pleon halykôteron
men to prôton, hysteron || de pikroteron gignetai? kan 123
ei to meli boulêtheiês auto to pantôn glykytaton epi
pleiston hepsein, apodeixeis kai touto pikrotaton; ho
gar tois allois, hosa mê physei therma, para tês
hepsêseôs engignetai, tout' ek physeôs hyparchei tô
meliti. dia tout' oun hepsomenon ou gignetai glykyteron;
hoson gar echrên einai thermotêtos eis genesin
glykytêtos, akribôs autô touto pan oikothen hyparchei.
ho toinyn exôthen tois ellipôs thermois ên ôphelimon,
tout' ekeinô blabê te kai ametria gignetai kai dia touto
thatton tôn allôn hepsomenon apodeiknytai pikron. di'
auto de touto kai tois thermois physei kai tois
akmazousin eis cholên hetoimôs metaballetai. thermô gar
thermon plêsiazon eis ametrian kraseôs hetoimôs
existatai kai phthanei cholê gignomenon, ouch haima.
deitai toinyn psychras men kraseôs anthrôpou, psychras
d' hêlikias, hin' eis haimatos agêtai physin. oukoun apo
tropou synebouleusen Hippokratês tois physei
pikrocholois mê prospherein to meli, hôs an thermoteras
|| dêlonoti kraseôs hyparchousin. houtô de kai tois 124
nosêmasi tois pikrocholois polemion einai to meli kai tê
tôn gerontôn hêlikia philion ouch Hippokratês monon alla
kai pantes iatroi legousin, hoi men ek tês physeôs autou
tên dynamin endeixamenês heurontes, hoi d' ek tês peiras
monês. oude gar oude tois apo tês empeirias iatrois
heteron ti para tauta tetêrêtai gignomenon, alla
chrêston men geronti, neô d' ou chrêston, kai tô men
physei pikrocholô blaberon, ôphelimon de tô
phlegmatôdei; kai tôn nosêmatôn hôsautôs tois men
pikrocholois echthron, tois de phlegmatôdesi philion;
heni de logô tois men thermois sômasin ê dia physin ê
dia noson ê di' hêlikian ê di' hôran ê dia chôran ê di'
epitêdeuma cholês gennêtikon, haimatos de tois
enantiois.